Review: Balcones 5th Anniversary Straight Malt Resurrection Cask Finish (58.3%, OB, 2014)

• Category: Texan malt whiskey
• Origin: Balcones Distillery
• Bottling: Official
• ABV: 58.3%
• Cost: £115 for 750ml
• Score: 86/100

What they say:

A limited edition bottling of Balcones Texas straight malt, finished in the Brimstone Resurrection cask. Brimstone Resurrection was made after accidentally burning corn to the bottom of their still but reviving the whisky using their special smoking process and letting it mature in a heavily charred cask (and ended up being crowned World’s Best American Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards 2014). That one cask was used to finish this top notch Texas whisky.

204 bottles were produced.

Nose: Vanilla bursts out at first before those more savoury Resurrection notes start playing their part, building to barbecued sweet potatoes and some apple.

Palate: Rhubarb and custard, toffee and hints of Jerusalem artichoke.

Finish: Fresh, slightly smoky, fully delicious.

What I say:

Dram #4 from the Balcones Distillers Selection Private Barrel Tour Twitter Tasting. Barrel #2696

Colour:

Ruby amber

Nose:

molasses, toffee, honey, jasmine, rose Turkish delight & orange zest

Taste:

Demerara sugar, cayenne pepper, rubber, vanilla essence, maple syrup, soapy lavender & sandalwood

Would I buy it:

My least favourite of the tasting – purely as it isn’t really fitting my flavour profile, and something has to be in last place. That aside, this is still damn good whisky!

Thanks to Balcones Whisky, Chip Tate, Winston Edwards, Steve Rush (@TheWhiskyWire) and Emily Harris (@emilymayfox) for organising samples and tasting event.